Can-handler.



LUcrUs o. wALDo, or BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

CAN-HANDLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Application iled July 12, 1917. Serial No. 180,101.

To aU 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIUS O. WALDO, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Bellingham, in the county of Whatcom and State ofWashington, have invent-ed cercan handling devices used by canners offood v products, and the object of my invention is to produce a handimplement of strong, simple and light construction with which anoperative may quickly transfer sealed cans in regular order from oneplace to another and from one container to another without burning hishands, if the cans are hot, and without injuring the laquer or labels ifthe cans are freshly lacquered or labeled.

I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingsheet of drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation view of aonerow can handler, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is an endelevation of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of a two-row canhandler, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 6 is an end elevationof Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a plan view of a case of cans with a two-rowhandler in engagement .with the top layer of the same, Fig. 8 is a frontelevation view of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a side elevation view 0f aportion of the lower end of a can rollway, used as a magazine, with aone-row handler in engagement with twelve of the lower cans on saidrollway.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several views. Certainparts are broken away in order to show other parts hidden thereby.

My device comprises head l, regularly spaced prongs 2, 2, etc. and endprongs 2i and 2a attached to said head and projecting in the same planeat right angles from the front edge of said head, and two handles 3, 3attached to said head parallel with said prongs and to the rear of andin a plane above said prongs. Handles 3, 3 are attached to said head byShanks 3a, 3a. End prongs 2a, 2a are preferably of one half the width ofother prongs 2, 2, etc. In the construction used for the purposes ofthis specification, said prongs 2, 2, etc. and 2a, .2a are each made ofa folded over wire with its ends inserted in holes in the front edge ofhead 1.

The one-row handler shown in Figs. l-3

.and 9 holds twelve cans in one row, sides touching; while the two-rowhandler shown in Figs. 4 8 holds twelve cans in two rows of six canseach, sides touching and rows end to end. It can be easily understoodthat my device can be constructed to hold other` numbers andarrangements of cans than those shown.

In Fig. 9 cans A, A, etc. are shown on the lower end of a stoppedrollway having bottom C, can stop C1, back rail C2, and front rail C3.Said front rail does not extend as far as can stop C1.

In describing the way of using my can handler it is assumed that handles3, 3 are in the hands of an operative. In Fig. 9 the one-row handler isshown in engagement with the lower twelve cans A, A, etc., on rollway C,prongs 2, 2, etc., and 2a, 2i having been caused to enter the voidsbetween said cans A and bottom C. rIhen by lifting the handler the lowertwelve cans A are carried in regular order with it and said cans areretained on said handler' in the manner shown in Figs. 1-3, where it maybe noted the cans rims only are in contact with the prongs.

When using my two-row handler to remove cans from rollway C'the sixbottom cans are first lifted off to take their place on said prongs neXtto head l and then six more cans, which have moved down to the lower endof the rollway, are engaged with said prongs and lifted from saidrollway When the loaded handler appears as shown in Figs. 4 6. The saidtwo-row handler is suited for Iilling case B of Figs. 7-8 with cans A,A, etc., or for removing said cans from the same. In said ligures theprongs are shown as supporting the 'tcp layer of cans A.

My device bears a row of filled cans, in close order sides touching, ona row of prongs which are equally spaced and of equal width except theend prongs 2a, 2a. These are of one-half width to prevent theirprotruding beyond the cans and thus interfere with the easy entry of thefork-load of cans into the case B. If the outside tines are one-half thewidth of the other tines and in the same plane, the best construction ishad. The one-row handler is more particularly designed for filling andemptying coolers used by fish canners. Here also the importance of nothaving the end prongs project farther sidewise than the row ot' cans onthe handler is apparent. VVhena rollway magazine is inade for thee'xcll'isive use of tWoeroW handlers the cans are caused to be in tWorows With cans enoLl to end on the saine.V l A v VTheillustratedlcation"of handles '3, 3 affords the operative good controlof thedevice and the best advantage in handling 4the Weight'of thevcans.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, What I. claim as new anddesire to secure by l Letters Patent is- `l.y In acanhandler incombination, ahead and al plurality of spaced prongs in the/sameplane',l attached to said head and projecting at right angles from thefront'edge ofthe saine, the end prongs being of substantially k'ornehalfthe width of the other of said prongs.

2. In a. can handler in combination, a

head, a plurality of spaced prongs in the same plane7 fastened to saidhead and projecting at "right angles from the 'front edge 'of the same,the end prongs being of substantially one half the Width of the otherprongs, and tWo handles attached to said head lparallel with said prongsand' above vand to the yrear `'ofthe sanie. Y Y

Signed `at Bellingham in the -county 'of Whatcom and Stateof` Washingtonthis 22d day of June 111917.

` i Y `LCIKUSYO.

Copies of this patent may' be obtainedv tardive-cents'eachbylafldxess'ingA the v(Iorliniiss'iimer ofi'ateilts,y

washington, n. c.

